construction costs can be controlled or subsidies expanded to match them, the supply of new affordable housing will continue to trail behind the need. This leaves communities at a crossroads: either accept a future in which housing for working families becomes increasingly scarce, or confront the financial realities head-on with bold policy adjustments and structural changes. Housing is more than just a roof and four walls—it is the foundation for stability, opportunity, and health. As construction costs rise, that foundation is slipping out of reach for millions of Americans. The challenge is daunting, but recognizing the scale of the problem is the first step toward ensuring that affordability remains part of the nation’s housing future.
and economic mobility diminishes. Employers in essential sectors such as healthcare, education, and hospitality find it harder to recruit and retain workers who cannot afford to live near their jobs. Homelessness, already a pressing crisis in many large cities, becomes even more difficult to address when the flow of new affordable units is constricted. Communities also feel the strain at the fiscal level. Families spending more than they can afford on housing have less disposable income to support local businesses, stifling economic activity. At the same time, demand for social services such as rental assistance, emergency housing, and food support increases, stretching the budgets of local governments and nonprofit organizations. The lack of affordable housing thus becomes not just a social issue, but an economic one with ripple effects across entire regions.
TAYLOR MILLER
A SIGNAL FOR SYSTEMIC FAULT LINES
can afford and what it costs per unit to build. Developers, facing these pressures, are often forced to target higher-income tenants to recoup costs, leaving low-income families with very few options. Waiting lists for subsidized units stretch longer each year, while older affordable units are demolished or converted to market-rate housing, further reducing available stock. FOLLOW-ON CHALLENGES The consequences extend far beyond individual families. When affordable housing is scarce, households are pushed farther from job centers, schools, and healthcare services. Commuting times lengthen, transportation costs increase,
The rising cost of construction represents a structural challenge, not a temporary spike. Even as some material prices stabilize, baseline costs remain far above where they were five or ten years ago. Labor shortages are likely to persist as demographic trends reshape the workforce. Tariffs, regulations, and land values continue to add layers of expense. For developers and policymakers committed to addressing the affordable housing crisis, these rising costs mean the bar is higher than ever. Affordable housing has always been difficult to build, but today the economics
Taylor Miller is a project specialist and marketing coordinator for Construction Inspection Specialists, where he provides commercial and private lenders with expert opinion on the level of completion for construction projects across the nation. He has been actively involved in the construction and inspection industries since 2016, focusing on commercial appraisals and cost analysis services.
Miller also manages marketing campaigns, social media, and design responsibilities for CIS.
are stacked against it more than at any point in recent history. Unless
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